In general, in inkjet recording methods, recording is performed by spraying ink droplets from various devices, and the droplets adhere to a recording paper so as to form dots. The advantages of inkjet recording as compared to dot impact printing are that it is noiseless, it is easy to adapt to full color, and high-speed printing can be performed. On the other hand, ink jet recording has the disadvantage that, as the inks used are normally water-based inks which use direct dyes or acidic dyes, drying properties are poor.
Recently, due to the popularity of high-resolution digital video recorder, digital cameras, scanners and personal computers, there are more opportunities to handle fine detail images. Correspondingly, inkjet printers have recently become increasingly high performance, and images comparable to those of a silver halide photograph can be output by inkjet printers. Hence, these fine detail images are now frequently output by inkjet printers. Another consequence has been a diversification of the properties required of recording media, and there is increasing demand for an inkjet recording medium having a gloss comparable to that of a silver halide photograph which permits high quality image recording.
A method for manufacturing an inkjet recording paper satisfying these properties which permits high image quality recording by the cast coating method has already been disclosed (Tokkai-Sho 62-95285, ibid 63-264391, Tokkai-Hei 2-274587,ibid. 5-59694). Inkjet recording cast-coated papers which permit high image quality recording have high ink absorption properties, which is a basic requirement for high image quality, by reducing a density of the recording layer relatively low.
However, in these inkjet recording cast-coated papers, as the cast-coated layer is porous, it is weaker than the cast-coated layers of cast-coated papers for ordinary printing purposes. In particular, as a cast-coated layer which contains alumina as a pigment and polyvinyl alcohol as a binder has high transparency and excellent gloss, it is extremely suitable for inkjet recording, but its surface strength is weaker than when another pigment or binder is used, so the coated layer tended to fall off during cutting or handling, and give cause of edge dust. If edge dust adheres to the recording layer surface of the recording paper, image defects occur when recording is performed with an inkjet printer. If the blending ratio of the binder is increased to increase the strength of the cast-coated layer, ink absorption properties are insufficient. Therefore, an inkjet recording cast-coated paper having excellent ink absorption properties but produce minimal edge dust was desired.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method of obtaining an inkjet recording cast-coated paper having satisfactory ink absorption properties and inkjet recording properties, but produce minimal edge dust when it is cut.